Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day of prayer, fasting and repentance. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. Ash Wednesday is observed by many Western Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Old Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman .Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday takes place days before Easter Sunday, and is chiefly observed by Catholics, although many other Christians observe it too. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting..Ash Wednesday has a non Christian origin and was accepted into the beliefs of the Catholic Church at the Council of Nicaea in AD. The council also settled upon the day fast period as the standard length to celebrate Lent. During this time period Constantine s goal was to combine pagans and Christians into a .